Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a contract by the U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) to design, develop, integrate, test and support a Fuel Quantity Indicator System (FQIS) for the Sentry E-3D Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft based at RAF Waddington.

Work will be performed under Northrop Grumman’s existing Sentry E-3D Whole Life Support Programme (WLSP).  The contract modification for FQIS is valued at more than $17 million over three years.

“Our industry team’s design organisation status and our strong partnering relationship with the MoD were undoubtedly paramount in our selection as integrator of the FQIS solution for the Sentry programme,” said Kevin Longman, Sentry programme director, Northrop Grumman Technical Services. “We look forward to delivering this important system upgrade that will contribute toward sustaining the AWACS platform.”

The design, development and integration activities will be carried out at RAF Waddington, U.K., as well as at Northrop Grumman’s U.S. facilities in Herndon, Va., and Melbourne, Fla.

“This modification is a significant safety enhancement for our AWACS platform,” said Group Capt. Adam Northcote-Wright, Sentry Air ISTAR programme Team delivery manager. “I am very pleased with the partnering ethos demonstrated by the Air ISTAR Programme Team and our prime contractor Northrop Grumman.”

Northrop Grumman delivers the WLSP for the Sentry E-3D AWACS fleet and is on contract until 2025. The company acts as the design organisation providing long-term U.K.-based technical support to the programme located at RAF Waddington. Working with the Air ISTAR Programme Team, Northrop Grumman provides the complete range of through-life services needed to support the Sentry E-3D AWACS aircraft through to its current out-of-service date. Northrop Grumman also provides the radar and a package in-service support including radar software development. Members of Northrop Grumman’s Joint Sentry Support Team include BAE Systems, AAR and MASS.

Source: Northrop Grumman Corporation
Photo: RAF